THIS
WEEK'S PREVIEWS
The pick this week is a small film, and you probably
won’t even find it in a cinema near you. But lucky Perth folk can enjoy the
atmosphere of Joondalup Pines while enjoying In A World. The last outing for a famous Japanese director has
arrived on our screens. But you will probably all flock to Non-Stop this week, looking for another Taken. But you won’t find it on this flight, I am afraid.
(My movie Pick
of the week)
LOTTERY WEST
FILMS - PERTH
Joondalup
Pines: 4–9 March, 7.30pm, doors open 6.30pm
OUR THOUGHTS
As a film reviewer who sits through hundreds and
hundreds of trailers a year, this was a fun look at behind the scenes of the
voiceover world where the big score is to get the big film trailer voice overs. I wonder if that
is true. Some great little cameos of
well-known actors make this even more refreshing. Lake Bell who plays the lead, Carol, is so
Sandra Bullock in her portrayal of the determined daughter of the voice over
king. I don’t know why she doesn’t pop up in more big Hollywood comedies—perhaps
she is more discerning. It’s a lovely,
sweet, smart film that ticks all the voice-boxes.
STUDIO BLURB
Carol’s egotist father is the
king of the voice-over. She is firmly stuck in the shadow of his legendary
baritone, while trying to carve her own place in the male dominated industry.
When a lucky break brings some overdue recognition – it turns out female voices
can sell – she finds herself up against the best in the business, including her
dad . A hilarious satire on family, the film industry and the art of being
heard.
The
Wind Rises ★★★ ½
Opens
in Australia: 27th
February 2014
USA: 28th February 2014
UK: 9th May 2014
Other Countries: Release Information
MY THOUGHTS
Miyazaki, after much threatening, has finally hung
up his director's coat and The Wind Rises
is his last creation. It is beautiful
and an interesting story, but I didn’t find it as engaging as his previous
works. However, it is still a wonderful film and for those who haven’t caught
any of his previous work, begin here and work backward. You will enjoy the journey.
STUDIO BLURB
In
"The Wind Rises," Jiro dreams of flying and designing beautiful
airplanes, inspired by the famous Italian aeronautical designer Caproni.
Nearsighted from a young age and unable to be a pilot, Jiro joins a major
Japanese engineering company in 1927 and becomes one of the world's most
innovative and accomplished airplane designers. -- (C) Studio Ghibli
Non-Stop
★★ ½
Opens
in Australia: 27th
February 2014
USA: 29th February 2014
UK: 28th February 2014
MY THOUGHTS
You will go along with the premise of Non-Stop for about the first fifteen minutes, and then you will
realize it’s plumbed all the clichés of this genre. Liam Neeson’s portrayal of alcoholic air
marshal Bill Marks, the only person standing between a terrorist-hijacker and
the safety of passengers on the plane, is his usual solid grimness.
Not long after take-off on a transatlantic flight, he is tasked with
uncovering the terrorist who is threatening, via text, the life of a passenger
every twenty minutes if he doesn’t receive 15 million dollars into his bank
account. Could it be the Muslim doctor, or the New York off-duty detective, or
the arrogant, young, rapper-like guy?
It has the mood and plot of an Agatha Christie mystery, but on a plane. Julianne Moore is one of the confused passengers who just happened to sit next to Marks. She is dragged in as his ally, or could she even be a suspect? There’s the usual red herrings and action along the way.
It has the mood and plot of an Agatha Christie mystery, but on a plane. Julianne Moore is one of the confused passengers who just happened to sit next to Marks. She is dragged in as his ally, or could she even be a suspect? There’s the usual red herrings and action along the way.
Director, Jaume Collet-Serra, best known for the 2011 suspense
thriller Unknown, also starring Neeson, attempts to create
the same who-dunnit atmosphere of his last film. But it fails for me in that it
feels all too contrived, unusually improbable, and dare I say, clumsy.
However, forty minutes into the film, my thirteen-year-old son turned
to me and said what an exciting film it was and how much he was enjoying
it. Afterward he asked if we could see
it again. And a fellow reviewer commented that the action and the guessing game
was good fun. My gut instinct is that this film will be enjoyed by the average
film-goer who doesn’t see a hundred films a year. So ignore the critics and hop
on this one if you like the premise. It is non-stop tension and action, even if
reality is left at the gate.
STUDIO BLURB
Global action star Liam Neeson stars in NON-STOP, a suspense thriller
played out at 40,000 feet in the air. During a transatlantic flight from New
York City to London, U.S. Air Marshal Bill Marks (Neeson) receives a series of
cryptic text messages demanding that he instruct the government to transfer
$150 million into an off-shore account. Until he secures the money, a passenger
on his flight will be killed every 20 minutes. NON-STOP, which reunites Neeson
with UNKNOWN director Jaume Collet-Serra and producer Joel Silver, co-stars
Golden Globe Award winner Julianne Moore and will be released by Universal
Pictures on February 28, 2014. The StudioCanal production is also produced by
Andrew Rona and Steve Richards. (C) Universal
What have you seen this week? Did you
find our comments helpful or do you disagree? Share your thoughts with us.
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